1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to devices and structures for mechanically coupling forces induced by interacting magnetic fields into motive forces which may be coupled to a generator or other load. The present invention further relates to magnetic coupling units having particular dynamic arrangements.
2. Discussion of Related Art
It is recognized in the art that magnets interact with attractive and repulsive forces and that these forces can be used to perform useful work. Such work may include rotation of a shaft and linear movement of a mass. Magnetic motors illustrating this principle are disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,274,959, 4,598,221, 4,196,365, and 4,179,633.
A driving apparatus disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,274,959 has a rotatable disk with a magnet alley and an arrangement of peripheral permanent magnets. A reciprocal device also has a magnet alley that includes reciprocating permanent magnets which interact with the peripheral permanent magnets. Each reciprocating magnet is movable between two positions to attract and repel a peripheral permanent magnet as it rotates in proximity to the reciprocating magnet.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,598,221 discloses a permanent magnet motion conversion device having a ring stator with stator magnets aligned along its circumference and a rotor with permanent magnets. The rotor magnets rock about an axis as the rotor turns.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,196,365 discloses a magnetic motor having a shaft mounted rotating disc on which are mounted three permanent magnets oriented and spaced radially. A stationary bracket has two permanent magnets mounted in proximity to the disc such that the magnetic fields of the bracket magnets and the rotor magnets can interact. The bracket is attached to a reciprocating device which changes the distance of the bracket magnets to the rotor in relation to the rotation of the rotor.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,179,633 discloses a permanent magnet wheel drive having a flat wheel containing peripherally mounted identical magnet segments and a concentric magnetic driving device having multiple pairs of identical magnet segments mounted on rockers.
Common to each of these prior art patents are elements which mechanically reciprocate or rock in an attempt to change the orientation of a magnetic field or to block or allow extension of a magnetic field so as to achieve productive magnetic field interactions and avoid unproductive magnetic field interactions. Such mechanically reciprocating and rocking elements create inefficiencies, reducing the amount of work which may be performed. Moreover, such elements increase the complexity of the devices, leading to high expense in their construction and maintenance. Such complexity also means that the devices are not effectively scalable, i.e., it is not effective to combine a multiplicity of such devices to perform greater amounts of work. Thus, it is a goal of the present invention to overcome the above stated disadvantages.